Systems Advocacy

The statewide systems advocacy network is a group of eighteen independent living centers throughout the state which coordinate and collaborate with other disability organizations to ensure that legislation affecting people with disabilities is introduced, passed by the legislature and signed by the governor.

The group relies on volunteers using an email “action alert” system to bring action in force on hot issues – like bills stuck in committee or ready for a vote. Our Systems Advocate notifies volunteers by email to take immediate action on a particular issue. Proposed action can be a telephone call to a legislator, sign on to a petition seeking action, sending a letter or email to someone in government about legislation pending. We also make several trips to Albany a year and encourage all of our volunteers to be a part in all of these activities.

2012 PUBLIC POLICY PRIORITIES:

• HOUSING

• Landlords often reject tenants with rental subsidies, such as Section 8 and subsidies tied to the Nursing Facility Transition and Diversion and Traumatic Brain Injury Medicaid Waivers. Many people with disabilities rely on subsidies and other assistance programs to live independently in the community. Discrimination based on source of income is illegal in New York City. The legislature should make source of income discrimination illegal throughout New York State.

• Most existing housing stock was not built to meet the needs of people with disabilities, including disabilities acquired as one ages. Housing built using inclusive design features would meet the needs of all people, throughout the lifespan, and allow homes to be visitable to friends and family members with disabilities. Renovation of new homes is much more expensive than including accessibility features at the start, when the home is constructed.
  
  

• CIVIL RIGHTS

• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 each provide comprehensive protection for the civil rights of people with disabilities under federal law. Under the 1999 US Supreme Court Olmstead decision,people with disabiliites are entitled to receive the services and supports they need to live in the community and avoid unwanted placement in nursing facilities and other institutions. Title II of the ADA provides protections against discrimination on the basis of disability in services provided by public entities, including State and local governments. The bill to incorporate TItle II into State law was passed by the State legislature during the 2009 and 2010 sessions, but vetoed by Govenor Paterson. This bill would clarify the scope of protections against discrimination by public entities, including in the provision of services, programs and activities. Public entities would be required to make reasonable accommodations and individuals with disabilities would gain critical access to the administrative enforcement mechanisms through the State Division of Human Rights. To date, more than 30 states have incorporated Title II into State law, and none have reported any increased costs as a result.
  
  

• MENTAL HEALTH

• Parents with psychiatric and intellectual disabilities are vulnerable to the loss of custody and termination of their parental rights because of a long-standing bias in State law. Since 1976, State Social Services Law has included as grounds for the termination of parental rights, the inability \"by reason of mental illness or mental retardation, to provide proper and adequate care...\" of a child. The use of these disability-related grounds for termination promotes the discriminatory belief that parents with such disabilities are unable to care for their children and creates a presumption that these parents are unfit. The safety of children is adequately protected, however, by other provisions of SSL 384-b allowing termination based on a parent's behavior rather than their disability.
  
  

• EDUCATION

• In order to fully integrate people with disabilities into the community, the attitudes of our dociety as they relate to people with disabilities need to change. Education on civil rights of people with disabilities is the foundation for ensuring these rights are protected and attitudes changed. This bill will adopt a statewide curriculum to promote greater awareness and understanding of people with disabilities and has no fiscal implicaitons.
  

• TRANSPORTATION

• ''Title II of the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in the provision of transportation services. The limited availability of accessible transportation services is a major barrier faced by individuals with disabilities throughout the State, often leading to unemployment, the inability to access medical care, lack of access to the poll site, and isolation from friends, family, and full community participation. Many people with disabilities rely heavily on the provision of paratransit services; however public transit budget woes have led to an increase in cost for such services. The paratransit bill would cap paratransit fares, under the premise that authorization of transit fares for people with disabilities at a level higher than those for non-disabled citizens is discriminatory. In addition, the increased availability of accessible transportation options will result in considerable savings to the state Medicaid program as the cost of paying ambulettes to transport wheelchair users to the medical appointments will decrease significantly.
  
  

To sign up as a volunteer to receive Action Alerts
click here: email Josie Longstreet